The present invention relates to an information recording medium, such as a paper sheet, recording, as an optically readable code pattern, a so-called multimedia information including, for example, audio information such as speech and music, video information obtained from a camera and video device and digital code data, and to an information reproducing apparatus for optically reading out the code pattern on the information recording medium and reproducing its original multi-media information.
Various media, such as magnetic tapes and optical disks, have conventionally been known as the media for recording the speech, music and so on. These media, being manufactured in large quantity, involve somewhat high cost per unit and, in addition, take up a greater storage space. In the case where any speech-recorded medium has to be handed over to another person at a distant place, a lot of time and effort are required even if it is mailed, or directly passed over, to him or her. The same thing can also be said about the so-called multimedia information as a whole including, not only the audio information but also the video information obtained from the camera, video device, etc., and digital code data obtained from personal computers, word processors, etc.
A group, including some of the inventors, has invented a system capable of recording the multimedia information containing at least one of the audio information, video information and digital code data on an information recording medium, such as a paper sheet, on dot code form, that is, as image information, namely, coded information, capable of facsimile transmission and copying in large quantity at low costs and a system for reproducing it and has filed these systems as an international application PCT/JP93/01377 (WO 94/08314).
In the information reproducing system under this international application an information reproducing apparatus is adapted to optically read out the dot code on the information recording medium and reproduce it. This method comprises effecting reading operation by, while manually holding the information reproducing apparatus, scanning the recording medium along its recorded dot code.
However, the structure of the dot code pattern per se is now under investigation so as to further improve the recording density. Under this situation no full consideration has yet been given to the information recording medium and information reproducing apparatus under the above-mentioned international application in terms of the flexibility of their future changes or modifications.
It is also desirable to more positively effect the reproduction of the code pattern.
It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide an information recording medium and information reproducing apparatus which can positively reproduce a code pattern and, even if the structure of the code pattern per se is varied in the future, can deal with this situation.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, an information recording medium including a section recording, as an optically readable code pattern, multimedia information containing at least one of audio information, video information and digital code data, the recording medium recording information representing processing parameters necessary to decode the above-mentioned code pattern.
According to a second aspect of the present invention an information reproducing apparatus is provided for, out of an information recording medium having a section recording, as an optically readable code pattern, multimedia information containing at least one of audio information, video information and digital code data, reading the code pattern and reproducing original multimedia information, wherein the information recording medium records information representing processing parameters necessary to decode the code pattern; and input means is provided for inputting the information representing the processing parameters recorded on the information recording medium.
According to a third aspect of the present invention an information reproducing apparatus comprises first layer processing means for, out of a recording media having a section recording, as an optically readable code, multimedia information containing at least one of audio information, video information and digital code data, optically reading the data and for converting the read-out code as an image to code data while outputting the readout-related information in a way to be added as first processing information to the code data; second layer processing means for recognizing the first processing information output from the first layer processing means and processing the code data output from the first layer processing means and for generating a block with the code data gathered for each predetermined unit and outputting the block; third layer processing means for extracting, out of the code data of the block, and recognizing second processing information at least necessary to gather blocks output from the second layer processing means and generate a supermacroblock of greater predetermined unit and generating a supermacroblock on the basis of the second processing information, for extracting, from the supermacroblock, and recognizing the third processing information for performing error-handling-related processing and performing, on the basis of the third processing information, supermacroblock error-handling-related processing and for outputting a subset element generated by separating supermacroblocks on the basis of the third processing information; fourth layer processing means for extracting, out of the subset element output from the third layer processing means, fourth processing information at least necessary to generate a subset comprised of a code of a predetermined unit capable of reproducing the multimedia information and for outputting the subset generated based on the fourth processing information; and outputting means for outputting the subset which is output from the fourth layer processing means as repromultimedia information, wherein the first layer processing means comprises image pick-up means for picking up the code; quantizing means for quantizing a video signal from the image pickup means and for converting the quantized signal to the code data; header generation means for generating information relating to the image pickup and quantization and adding the information as the first processing information to the code data; and memory means for storing the code data to which the first processing information is added.